MembershipPLEASE
NOTE MEMBERSHIP IS NOW CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO A CAPACITY
OF 175 BEING REACHED. YOU MAY HOWEVER ADD YOUR NAME & CONTACT DETAILS
TO OUR WAITING LIST AT :- info@sudburyhistorysociety.co.uk
AND WE WILL CONTACT YOU WHEN A VACANY ARISES.

Membership
is open to anyone, and can either pay an annual subscription £8
or by paying a fee of £2 on each attendance.

All persons interested in supporting the Objects of the Society shall,
provided that they agree to abide by this constitution and any conditions
properly imposed by the Committee, be admitted to membership upon payment
of the annual subscription as determined by the Committee and agreed by
the membership at the Annual General Meeting.

The Committee
may terminate membership of any member if:
(i) there is any money owed to the Society in respect of membership or
other fees after a time lapse of three months or such other period as
shall be agreed by the Committee.
(ii) that member acts in a way which is prejudicial to the Society or
brings it into disrepute. PROVIDED THAT the individual concerned shall
have the right to be heard by the Committee before a final decision is
made.

Honorary
Life Membership can be conferred on a member in recognition of exceptional
services to the Society. Such Membership must be agreed by the Committee
and put before the general membership for approval at the Annual General
Meeting. Honorary Life Members should not exceed 2% of the Society's membership.Top of page

2.
OBJECTS
The objects of the Society are to sponsor and encourage an interest in
History, especially relating to Sudbury (Suffolk) and district.
In furtherance of the above the Society may publish or purchase books,
pamphlets, leaflets, films, videos and other instructional matter and
organise lectures and seminars and other events.

3.
MEMBERSHIP
3.1 All persons interested in supporting the Objects of the Society shall,
provided that they agree to abide by this constitution and any conditions
properly imposed by the Committee, be admitted to membership upon payment
of the annual subscription as determined by the Committee and agreed by
the membership at the Annual General Meeting.

3. 2 The
Committee may terminate membership of any member if: -
(i) there is any money owed to the Society in respect of membership or
other fees after a time lapse of three months or such other period as
shall be agreed by the Committee.
(ii) that member acts in a way which is prejudicial to the Society or
brings it into disrepute. PROVIDED THAT the individual concerned shall
have the right to be heard by the Committee before a final decision is
made.

3.3 Honorary
Life Membership can be conferred on a member in recognition of exceptional
services to the Society. Such Membership must be agreed by the Committee
and put before the general membership for approval at The Annual General
Meeting. Honorary Life Members should not exceed 2% of the Society's membership.

4.
MANAGEMENT
4.1 The Management of the Society shall be vested in a Committee consisting
of elected members whose duty it shall be to carry out its general policy
and to provide for the administration, management and control of the affairs
and property of the Society.

4.2 (i) The
Committee shall consist of at least five and not more than ten members
(excluding those who are co-opted) including the principal officers (Chairman,
Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer)
(ii) Not more than two ordinary members may be co- opted to the Committee,
they shall have full voting rights and their term of office shall expire
at the next following Annual General Meeting.

4.3 (i) Officers
may serve for a period of three years and other Committee members for
a period of one year. Retiring Officers and Committee members may stand
for re-election provided that no-one may hold the office of Chairman or
Vice-Chairman for more than three consecutive years without an intervening
period of at least one year, except that a retiring Vice-Chairman may
stand immediately for the post of Chairman.
(ii) Committee members may resign office by giving not less than twenty-one
days notice in writing to the Secretary or Chairman. The Committee has
power to fill casual vacancies from the membership. Such an appointee
shall complete the term of service of the member they are replacing and
shall be eligible for re-election.

4.4 (i) The
election of members of the Committee who will hold office for one year
shall be held by ballot at The Annual General Meeting. The election of
Officers serving three years shall take place at the appropriate Annual
General Meeting.
(ii) Nominations to the Committee duly agreed by the nominee shall be
proposed and seconded and delivered in writing to the Secretary at a date
specified by the Committee.
(iii) The newly elected Committee shall take office immediately after
the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting. The newly elected Chairman
shall take office immediately upon election. During the election for a
Chairman the meeting shall be chaired by the Vice-Chairman or by a retiring
Committee member or a person nominated by the meeting.

4.5 (i) There
shall be no less than four Committee meetings a year.
(ii) At Committee meetings matters shall be decided by a simple majority
of votes of Committee members present. In the case of an equality of votes
the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
(iii) The quorum for any Committee meeting shall be three or one third
of the Committee whichever is the greater.
(iv) Special Committee meetings may be called at any time by the Chairman
or by any two members of the Committee upon seven clear days notice being
given to all the Committee members of all the matters to be discussed.
(v) The Committee may appoint sub-committees to which it may from time
to time, and for such time as it determines, delegate the transaction
of such matters and the performance of such acts as it thinks fit and
the Committee shall exercise supervision over the proceedings and acts
of such sub-committees. Sub-committees shall report back to the Committee
as soon as possible on actions taken under delegated powers. (vi) The
proceedings of the Committee shall not be invalidated by any defect in
the appointment, election or cooption of any member of any committee or
sub-committee.
(vii) The Secretary shall ensure, if necessary by appointing a stand-in,
that minutes are kept of all Sub-committee, Committee and Annual or Extraordinary
General Meetings.

5.
ANNUAL AND SPECLAL GENERAL MEETINGS
5.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held once in each year and not
later than fifteen months after the preceding Annual General Meeting.

5.2 At least
twenty-one days notice shall be given in writing to all members.

5.3 A quorum
shall be 20% of the paid up members.

5.4 The business
of the Annual General Meeting shall include: -
(i) Receiving and approving the Annual Report
(ii) Receiving and approving the examined accounts.
(iii) The election of officers and members of the committee
(iv) Appointing an examiner for the accounts
(v) Considering proposals to alter the Constitution subject to the requirements
of Clause 9.
(vi) Considering any other business, which has been published in the Agenda.

5.5 (i) A
special General Meeting of the Society may be convened at any time by
a resolution of the Committee or upon a requisition signed by one fifth
or more of the members stating the object of the meeting.
5.5 (ii) A meeting held on such a requisition shall be called by the Secretary
giving the other members l4 days notice of such a meeting. .
5.5 (iii) There shall be a quorum when 20% of members are present.

5.6 The Chairman
of the Society shall be the Chairman of any Committee or General Meeting
at which he/she is present. In his/her absence the members shall elect
a Chairman for the meeting. The chairman of the meeting shall have a casting
vote.

5.7 Accidental
omission to give notice to any member shall not invalidate the proceedings
of any General Meeting.

6.
FINANCE
6.1 All the income and property of the Society shall be applied solely
to the Objects of the Society and none of it shall be paid or transferred
in any way to its Committee members provided that nothing herein shall
prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration
to any officer or servant of the said Society and repayment of reasonable
and proper out-of-pocket expenses to members or Committee members incurred
in the course of the work of the Society.
A bank or building society account shall be opened in the name of 'The
Sudbury History Society' and withdrawals shall be made on the signatures
of two principal officers.

6.2 (i) The
Society shall have power to collect and accept donations and to issue
appeals for donations and to raise money by bequest and otherwise to further
the Object of the Society.
6.2(ii) Any money raised and received may be retained by the Society and
be used at the discretion of the Committee. However, any funds raised
for a particular project or cause, albeit furthering the Object of the
Society shall be used for that project or cause only and on completion
any surplus of funds should revert to the Society's general funds.

6.3 The financial
year of The Sudbury History Society shall end on the 31st March in each
year and not more than eight weeks later the Annual General Meeting shall
be convened for the purpose of receiving the Annual Report and examined
accounts.

6.4 The Committee
may appoint employees either permanently or on a fixed term contract,
who are not members of the Committee as may from time to time be necessary
for carrying out the work of the Society and may fix their terms and conditions
of employment.

6.5 All proper
costs, charges and expenses incidental to the management of the Society
may be defrayed from the funds of the Society.

6.6 The Treasurer
shall keep accounts of all the monies received and expended on behalf
of the Society and shall prepare and publish such accounts duly examined
at the Annual General Meeting. All monetary transactions shall be made
through properly authorised accounts in accordance with the directives
of the Committee

6.7 No Committee
member shall be chargeable or responsible for loss caused by anything
or act done or omitted to be done by him/her or by any other Committee
member, provided reasonable supervision be exercised over any such agent,
or by reason of any mistake or omission made in good faith by any Committee
member or by reason of any other matter or thing other than wilful and
individual fraud or wrongdoing or wrongful omission on the part of the
Committee member who is sought to be made liable.

7.
PROPERTY
Any equipment of The Sudbury History Society should be recorded and covered
by insurance and shall be deemed to be held jointly by all members of
the Committee on behalf of the Society.

8.
POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
All matters not provided for in this constitution relating to the Society
and not involving an amendment to this constitution shall be dealt with
by the Committee.

9.
ALTERATION TO THE CONSTITUTION
The provisions of this constitution other than clause 2 and 10 and this
clause may be amended with the assent of not less than two thirds of the
membership present and voting at the Annual General Meeting of the Society.
Twenty-one clear days notice shall be given to the members stating the
intention to put forward such a resolution.

10.
DISSOLUTION
The Sudbury History Society may at any time be dissolved by a resolution
passed by a three quarters majority of those present and voting at any
meeting of the Society of which at least twenty-one days notice stating
the intention to put forward such a resolution shall have been sent to
all members of the Society. If any assets remain after the satisfaction
of all debts and other liabilities, such assets held by or in the name
of The Sudbury History Society shall be transferred or made available
to any other society or institution whose Objects are similar or close
to those of The Sudbury History Society.

11.
TUTORS AND LECTURERS
Tutors or lecturers from within the membership are expected to offer their
services free in the interest of the Society at the monthly meetings.
However, the copyright of original research material and notes used by
them shall be retained by them and shall not be the property of the Sudbury
History Society. Likewise, any member who provides on request such visual
aids as photographic pictures or slides shall be recompensed and the copyright
shall be theirs.

Meetings
are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 10am until 12noon
in the Scout Headquarters at the Quay in Quay Lane Sudbury.

The meeting
consists of a talk or lecture given by either the Chairman or guest
speaker, followed by a general discussion.

Tea or
Coffee is served during the interval, normally around 11am.

On the
last Friday or Thursday of the month, an excursion is organised to Historical
sites, Museums or a Gallery. Although this is subsidised by the Society,
there is additional cost.

In August
there is an out door 'alfresco lunch' at a local country venue.

The December
meeting a 'Yuletide' celebration is held in the Scout HQ at which only
full members are eligible to enjoy.

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How to
join

Come
along to any meeting (except the December) and either pay the annual subscription
of £8 (those joining in the last 3 months of the year, the fee will
be adjusted), or attend as many adhoc meetings as you wish at a cost of
£1 per meeting until you decide you wish to become a full member
and pay the annual subscription.